Lorde responds after facing backlash over planned Tel Aviv gig

Lorde has responded to a letter from two fans calling on her to axe her planned performance in Tel Aviv, Israel, in order to not show her support of the government's mistreatment of Palestinians.

Two fans of the 'Green Light' singer, who are from her native New Zealand, wrote an open letter to the pop star and called on her not to support the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his oppression towards the people of Palestine, by not going ahead with her planned performance at Tel Aviv's Convention Centre on June 8, 2018.

In response to the letter, the 21-year-old pop star - whose real name is Ella Yelich-O' Connor - replied: "Noted! Been speaking w many people about this and considering all options. Thank u for educating me i am learning all the time too (sic)"

The 'Royals' hitmaker has been warned by Justine Sachs and Nadia Abu-Shanab, who are Jewish and Palestinian respectively, that simply playing in the city shows support for the Israeli government, who have been accused of enforcing a system of apartheid imposed on the Palestine people.

In their message to Lorde, the girls wrote: "A performance in Israel sends the wrong message. Playing in Tel Aviv will be seen as giving support to the policies of the Israeli government, even if you make no comment on the political situation.

"Such an effect cannot be undone by even the best intention and the best music."

In July, Radiohead went ahead with their concert at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, after ignoring calls from stars such as Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and British director Ken Loach to axe the event over human rights violations in the country.

The pair were among 47 high-profile celebrities urging the 'Creep' hitmakers to sign a petition with Artists for Palestine UK, in the hope the alternative rock band would reconsider the concert and join the on-going cultural boycott.

The group's guitarist Jonny Greenwood - who is joined by Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, Ed O' Brien and Philip Selway in the band - has links to Israel as he is married to Israeli artist Sharon Katan.